A need for non-conventional or alternative energy sources has been established world wide. One alternative energy source that has been considered is wind generated power. Wind generated power has gained a strong following because of the availability of this resource throughout the planet. Although the harnessing of wind has occurred for centuries, in the modern era generating electrical energy from wind in an economically viable manner has proven to be a difficult task.
Most current wind generated power technologies rely on wind turbines that utilize propeller blades which rotate at high speeds due to lift forces generated on the propeller blades by wind driven air moving past the blades. These propeller type wind turbines have a large initial cost that is a deterrent for many investors. A great deal of the cost of wind turbines results from high strength materials that are used within the wind turbines to withstand high stresses, which result from the high speed at which current wind turbines operate. Wind turbines are also subject to very high amplitude and high frequency vibrations, which result in fatigue to the various components of the wind turbines. To minimize these vibrations, the blades and other rotational components of these wind turbines must be perfectly balanced. Additionally, wind turbines arc exposed to adverse weather conditions such as high winds, snow, ice, and ultraviolet radiation. Substantial engineering and maintenance resources have to be devoted to the design and operation of these wind turbines so that the wind turbines can withstand the multitude of forces, as well as the adverse conditions, to which the components of the wind turbines will be subjected. Of course, devoting substantial engineering resources to the design of wind turbines greatly increases the initial cost of these wind turbines, and devoting substantial maintenance resources greatly increases the operating costs of these wind turbines.
Additionally, wind turbines of this type have a small range of wind speeds within which they will operate. A common range of wind speeds within which the wind turbines will operate is 28 to 36 miles per hour. Obviously, these high wind speeds greatly reduce the areas within which wind turbines such as this may be used. Additionally, the necessity of such high winds results in the requirement of very tall masts to support the propeller blades. Tall masts further increase the cost of these wind turbines and also places the wind turbines within the view of many people who would rather not have their landscape dominated by wind turbines. Additionally, another undesirable result of the tall masts is bird kills. These wind turbines are tall enough to be within the flight path of many birds and have caused deaths to threatened birds such as the California condor.
For these reasons there is a need for a wind generating power sources that do not operate at very high speeds, thus reducing the fatigue and other vibrational damage that results from high speed operation as well as reducing the engineering and maintenance costs associated with the design and operation of these power sources. There is also a need for slow wind speed operating wind generating power sources so that the use of these technologies can be more widespread than in high wind areas. There is a further need for slow wind speed operating wind generating power sources so that the use of these technologies will not hinder bird populations.
The present invention satisfies the need for a wind generating power source which operates at slow wind speeds.
One aspect of the invention is a wind rotor comprising a base, a rotor frame rotationally supported on the base for movement about a substantially vertical axis in one of a clockwise or counter clockwise direction, and a plurality of wind receiving vanes pivotally disposed on the rotor frame for movement about a substantially vertical axis in a clockwise and counter clockwise direction between a first closed position and a second open position. The movement of the vanes from the first closed position to the second open position is the one of the clockwise and counter clockwise direction that corresponds to the direction of the rotational movement of the rotor frame. The movement of each vane from the first closed position to the second open position further being independent of the other vanes. A variable resistance damping mechanism assembly is disposed between each vane and the rotor frame. The variable resistance damping mechanism is configured to provide damping in both the clockwise and the counterclockwise directions, and to dampen a greater amount in one of the clockwise or counterclockwise directions than in the other.
In another aspect of the invention, the substantially vertical pivot axis of each vane is substantially parallel to the substantially vertical rotational axis of the rotor frame
In yet another aspect of the invention, each vane includes a body and in the first position the vane body is substantially radially disposed with respect to the rotational axis of the rotor frame.
In another aspect of the invention, while in the second position, the vane body is pivoted with respect to the rotor support to a position that is approximately 115 degrees from the closed position.
In another aspect of the invention, each vane body is substantially planar.
In another aspect of the invention, the damping mechanism assembly comprises a damping mechanism having a first and a second part, the second part being moveable with respect to the first part.
In another aspect of the invention, the first part is a cylinder, and the second part is a piston and piston rod assembly, the piston and piston rod assembly being moveable in a telescoping manner with respect to the cylinder such that the piston and piston rod assembly is extendable and compressible with respect to the cylinder.
In another aspect of the invention, the cylinder includes an internal fluid chamber, and the piston is disposed within the internal fluid chamber.
In another aspect of the invention, the cylinder includes a first closed end and a second end having an opening through which a piston rod of the piston and piston rod assembly extends.
In another aspect of the invention, each damping mechanism assembly comprises a damping mechanism and an articulating arm disposed between each damping mechanism and each vane.
In another aspect of the invention, each articulating arm includes a first end in contact with the damping mechanism and a second end in contact with a vane.
In another aspect of the invention, each articulating arm second end includes a roller, the roller being disposed for contact with a vane.
In another aspect of the invention, the cylinder includes a first valve and a second valve disposed at a spaced apart distance from the first valve, the first and second valves being in fluid communication with the internal fluid chamber of the cylinder, the piston being moveable between the first valve and the second valve from a first compressed position to a second extended position. The piston is compressed into the cylinder as the vane moves from the first closed position to the second open position.
In another aspect of the invention, the first and second valves are one way valves, the first valve constructed to allow air into the air chamber of the cylinder, the second valve constructed to allow air out of the air chamber of the cylinder.
In another aspect of the invention, each valve includes a ball disposed within a passage.
In another aspect of the invention, the wind rotor further comprises a vane stop mechanism which prevents the vane from pivoting beyond the second position.
In another aspect of the invention, the vane stop mechanism is the damping mechanism, and the vane stop mechanism establishes the second vane position at a position which is between 95 and 135 degrees from the first position.
In another aspect of the invention, the vane stop establishes the second vane position at a position which is approximately 115 degrees from the first position.
Another aspect of the invention is a wind rotor comprising a base, a rotor frame rotationally supported on the base for movement about a substantially vertical axis in one of a clockwise or counter clockwise direction, and a plurality of wind receiving vanes pivotally disposed on the rotor frame for pivotal movement about a substantially vertical axis in a clockwise and counter clockwise direction between a first closed position and a second open position. The movement of the vanes from the first closed position to the second open position is the one of the clockwise and counter clockwise direction that corresponds to the direction of the rotational movement of the rotor frame. The movement of each vane from the first closed position to the second open position further being independent of the other vanes. A variable resistance damping mechanism is disposed between each vane and the rotor frame. The variable resistance damping mechanism is speed dependent, and not position dependent, such that each damping mechanism is configured to dampen a greater amount as the speed of the vane increases.
Another aspect of the invention is a wind rotor comprising a base, a rotor frame rotationally supported on the base for movement about a substantially vertical axis in one of a clockwise or counter clockwise direction, and a plurality of wind receiving vanes pivotally disposed on the rotor frame for movement about a vertical axis in a clockwise and counter clockwise direction between a first closed position and a second open position. The movement of the vanes from the first closed position to the second open position is the one of the clockwise and counter clockwise direction that corresponds to the direction of the rotational movement of the rotor frame. The movement of each vane from the first closed position to the second open position further being independent of the other vanes. A non-spring, non-biasing damping mechanism is disposed between each vane and the rotor support. The non-spring, non-biasing damping mechanism slows the movement of each vane as each vane moves between the first and the second position, but does not urge the vane from the second open position to the first closed position.
Another aspect of the invention is a wind rotor comprising a base, a rotor frame rotationally supported on the base for movement about a substantially vertical axis in one of a clockwise or counter clockwise direction, and a plurality of wind receiving vanes pivotally disposed on the rotor frame for movement about a vertical axis in a clockwise and counter clockwise direction between a first closed position and a second open position beyond which the vane cannot pivot further. The movement of the vanes from the first closed position to the second open position is the one of the clockwise and counter clockwise direction that corresponds to the direction of the rotational movement of the rotor frame. The movement of each vane from the first closed position to the second open position further being independent of the other vanes. In the first closed position, the vane is substantially radially disposed with respect to the rotor rotational axis. And, in the second open position the vane is pivoted with respect to the rotor support to a position that is between 95 and 135 degrees of rotational movement from the first closed position.
In another aspect of the invention, the wind rotor further comprises a stop mechanism preventing the movement of each vane beyond the second open position. The stop mechanism is constructed to stop the vane in the second open position at a position that is approximately 115 degrees of rotational movement from the first closed position.
The wind rotor of the present invention does not operate at very high speeds, thus reducing the fatigue and other vibrational damage that results from high speed operation as well as reducing the engineering and maintenance costs associated with the design and operation of these power sources. The slow speed operation of the wind rotor allows the use of this technology in a variety of areas, in contrast to just high wind areas, as has typically been the case for wind power sources. The slow speed operation of the wind rotor also will not hinder bird populations.
These and other aspects and benefits of the invention will become more apparent upon analysis of the drawings, specification and claims.